Actuators are known that have a first abutment element and a second abutment element and an adjusting device for moving the second abutment element in a translational displacement direction relative to the first abutment element. Such adjusting devices may include a support element disposed between the two abutment elements in the displacement direction, a drive motor disposed on or in the support element, and a first spindle nut rotatably supported on or in the support element, which first spindle nut is rotationally driven by the drive motor. These devices may also include a second spindle nut rotatably supported on or in the support element, which second spindle nut is rotationally driven by the drive motor. A first spindle is in engagement with the first spindle nut and is fixedly connected to the one abutment element, and a second spindle is in engagement with the second spindle nut and is fixedly connected to the other abutment element. An actuator of this type is known from DE 10 2011 088 683 A1 (U.S. 2012/153755).
An adjusting device, e.g. a motor-driven spindle-nut system, moves an upper plate in a translational displacement direction relative to a base plate. Limit switches are provided in the region of the end positions of the movable plate in order to effect a switching-off of the drive motor before the movable plate strikes another component. In this way back-and-forth movement can be effected by the actuator in a low-wear manner.
DE 20 2007 017 535 U1 (U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,468) discloses an electromotive double drive for furniture and a switch assembly therefor.
A disadvantage in prior-art solutions is that the customization of the to-be-driven stroke or lifting range (length) of the movable plate and thus the corresponding arrangement of the limit switches is complex and/or expensive. Depending on the particular stroke or lifting range, the cabling/harnesses of the limit switches must be modified or adapted accordingly. Since the cables usually must extend inside the actuator, a corresponding complexity/expense is required for a neat or orderly routing of the cables. Changing the positions of the limit switches is thus complex and expensive in an actuator of the above-described type.